My child just turned 18 and has been Radically Unschooled right the way through childhood. Not a curriculum, lesson or compulsory assignment/subject in sight. I do not ‘teach’, my child LEARNS. Yes, even ‘The Basics’.

For example: I read to my child constantly, they played games and watched films with both audio and subtitle/text, they were curious, they were interested, they learned to read (this child read as well as most adults at around 7, but other children will take longer to build from beginning to show competence to fluency, or suddenly be completely fluent when their age is in double figures — they are individuals who develop skills in their own time) .

Children have a natural love of learning and insatiable curiosity, so long as it isn’t squashed and discouraged. My 18 year old is happy, well-adjusted, confident, well-mannered, helpful, mature, intelligent, interested, interesting and knowledgeable. Our lives have been peaceful and full of many interests and copious learning. Our relationships are good.

Unschooling is definitely worth looking into. It’s not something that’s really going to happen in a few weeks off school, you can’t do it in a fully immersive way part-time, BUT it’s a start. Just relax, watch the fun and learning unfold side by side….and then, contemplate continuing doing this rather than sending them back to school once viral induced isolation has ended.